Small EV showdown: BYD Dolphin vs ORA 03. Which should you choose? | Electrifying
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 8 ก.ย. 2024
- #byddolphin #ora03 #electriccars
BYD Dolphin review: www.electrifyi...
ORA 03 review: www.electrifyi...
Unless you’re really up to speed in the world of cars, the names BYD and Ora may be new to you. The electric revolution has attracted a number of new brands to set up shop in Europe with Chinese manufacturers leading the charge. Whether you think that’s a good or not (there are arguments on both sides), the fact is that buyers have more models to choose from - especially at the more affordable end of the market.
Take our test duo - the BYD Dolphin and the Ora 03 (which used to be called the Funky Cat before someone saw sense). Both hail from China and both have been designed to offer better value for money than their European and Japanese rivals.
BYD Dolphin
The Dolphin is just over 4.2 metres long (4,290mm) and around 200mm longer than a Vauxhall Corsa Electric and a Peugeot e208. However, unlike the Corsa, Peugeot and MINI it’s built on an all-electric platform designed from the outset to be a purely electric set of underpinnings. As result, the BYD designers and engineers have been free to place the battery pack and motor where they want, without having to take into consideration mounting points and space for a petrol engine. The stand-out measurement in the specification is the wheelbase, which at 2,700mm is longer than a Vauxhall Astra.
Although BYD offers the Dolphin in its home market with two small battery options (30.7kWh and 44.9kWh) the brand has reworked the car for Europe and is offering a bigger 60kWh pack and faster charging capability, along with the 44.9kWh unit.
The entry-level Active model has the 44.9kWh battery and 93bhp motor giving around 211 miles of range. The Boost has a more powerful 178bhp motor and 17-inch wheels which hit efficiency, so the range drops to 188 miles. The Comfort and Design use the bigger 60.4kWh battery and 201bhp motor, giving a range of 265 miles.
Ora 03
Confusingly, 03 car was originally launched in the UK in early 2023 with Ora as the brand name (albeit as part of the GWM parent company) and Funky Cat as the model name. Maybe it was decided that Ora Funky Cat was just a bit too funky for UK tastes, as the company switched its strategy from early 2024 and now sells this jazzy-looking electric hatchback under the GWM brand, with the model name Ora 03 instead. Phew…
Back when the GWM Ora 03 was the Ora Funky Cat, it only came with the 48kWh battery and a possible 193 miles of range on the WLTP cycle. That is usefully more than a MINI Electric, but down on something like a Corsa Electric or the similar-sized Citroen e-C4, which both manage more than 200 miles.
The Ora's 193 mile official figure will translate to a real-world range of around 150 miles, which is still plenty for most people, especially those who are based in urban areas. For those who need a longer range, a bigger 63kWh battery (tested here) has now joined the range, so you can now choose between the 48kWh GWM Ora 03 Pure+ or 63kWh GWM Ora Pro+.
Join Nicola and Nicki as they pitch the Dolphin and the 03 together. Which would you choose, or would you opt for something completely different. Let us know in the comments below.
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It is astonishing how much more expensive Chinese EVs are in Britain than Australia. The lower-spec versions of these cars both come in at well under £20,000 in Australia, and even the high-spec ones are below £25,000.
Great review, btw. I think Electrifying might be the best EV channel now.
wait till you see how much these cost on the Chinese market.
Tariffs, VAT, and other taxes
@@hojnikb Oh, I know. They're hilariously cheap.
@@tomooo2637 Yes, that explains around half the price difference.
The things you outline account for the whole of the price difference between MG4s in the UK and Australia, but they're not enough to cover the differentials for BYDs (the Atto 3 and Seal even more than the Dolphin) or for Oras.
In China $12k
BYD no questions asked, their cars are just awesome and properly made.
Great video
I think this is the first British review I've seen that acknowledges how good BYD's voice recognition is. It's the best I've ever used. Normally the last of buttons and knobs would put me off a car - i don't like having to go through screen menus when I'm driving. But the BYD voice recognition is so good that you don't really need the buttons.
Problem is we’re being properly ripped off for these entry level cars, both were meant to cost around 15k-20k but the market is broken with import taxes and the abusive lease model being forced on drivers.
And biased towards SS and bik for those wfh🤔
I spent ages going back and forth between these two models. Got the Dolphin 🐬 in the end. The practical elements and the blade battery won me over. Love the look of the Ora 😍.
When our model 3lr lease finished we got a Ora for our second car (mainly because it was 190month/no deposit) and ive been quite pleasantly surprised (as i thought it eould be terrible) it rides well drives fast enough and actually has more rear legroom than the model 3. Biggest gripe with it would be lack of bass in the sound system and slightly small icons on the infotainment screen
More videos with both of you please!!
MG4 51 better than both as a driver's car as its RWD.
Ladies, please tell the viewers not just the range but the battery technology!
LFP in Dolphin (All BYD's) can be charged to 100% overnight. The Ora can only be charged to 80% as I believe it is lithium-ion NMC (correct me if I am mistaken). This information is very important and should be included in your casts please.
17:07 So cheeky Nicki 😂
She should try it more often, no more kids !
Bring back the Funky Cat!👍
Best name ever!
I thought people complained it was too funky?
@@djyx8 Bitter people likely
Very true FunkyCat was instantly a recognisable and iconic name
@@toyotaprius79 That's the result of listening to too many reviewers in the end you get something generic. They also have a model called Lightening Cat, I wonder what would happen to that if it ever comes over.
BYD do make great quality cars now, but some of their design thoughts can still be questionnable. The Dolphin is certainly better than the Atto 3 and has the same great technology. i was very impressed how well it controlled the car form sunroof opening to heated seats!
Always makes me smile when Nikki and Nicola do a fun review!
I have a dolphin in urban grey. Covered 12.5k since nov and absolutely love it. Previously had a cupra born, mg4 and niro ev. I would chose the dolphin over them all. Mg customer service.... Shocking! Byd have been brilliant. I disagree about motorway miles as I do plenty of them and the range has been fine and better than previous EVs. When it comes to performance its surprisingly spritely!!!
Guaranteed to leave me smiling! Brilliant team, thanks ladies!
Loving the Two Ronnies format. Keep up the good work.
The Dolphin premium is a good offering with the LFP battery even in the long range model. I like the V2L capability and the voice control can even open your window without saying left of ride front seat, smart.
Drove both of these few months back. Both greats cars in their own right.. the OH liked the Ora3 best.. we’re waiting for the used ones to come off lease so we can buy one for wayyyy less than new! Did the same with our current 2021 Zoe last July 2023.. less than half price of new with 8k miles.. 🤷🏼
The only thing that kept me from buying the dolphin was the lack of one pedal driving. Should be an option in all electric cars, in my opinion.
18.01 is the perfect example of why I hate dark car interiors (instant claustrophobia for me) and IF they are why I MUST have a panoramic roof!
Good video idea! After watching, I choose the Ora. :)
Also "we like it in the back" had me laughing😂
My main takeaway from the video, "We do like it in the rear! " 😂
Useful and very enjoyable video. We need more of this double act!
Even now, selling or trying to sell under NZ$30k, the original price was $47k, and they still are not selling here in NZ. Just one Ora Cat has sold new in NZ in all of 2024! Now that tells something!
Selling point comment of the year, "I do like it in the rear"
I’m still hoping Ora bring their Punk Cat to the UK
the one missing here - Mg4, top spec Trophy ER is what I have and better than either in all ways, Battery, charging and looks
MG4 seems to beat them both.
Except on lease the Ora is much cheaper than all of them.
The reason the Ora is so cheap on lease is no one is buying them, so they are discounting them massively. It’s an okay car, but so many others out there with similar pricing now and loads coming cheaper. Really hard to sell them in this current (sic) market.
Over 500 miles into the BYD Dolphin, and really impressed. Getting over 5mi/kWh (300+ miles), but know city cars aren’t motorway cruisers (ex-24kWh Leaf owner), and keep to 60. Yet to see much difference in journey times 😂.
And the 🐬 has plenty of regen, just through the 2nd pedal. Not the one pedal driving that many are getting comfortable with, but an easier transition from fuel cars, I suppose 🤔. The wife prefers the 2nd pedal, and got to keep her happy.
But disagreements aside… the BYD is a winner, and at £269 down, £269/month, couldn’t resist. 😎
Picking up a Dolphin on Monday 🎉 Found the BYD Dolphin to be the closest in appearance and practicality to the Cupra Born but much better value.
@ 15:49....is that flipper I hear in the back seat? 😂
Another great review, although I do think that the BYD has looks and specs similar too the Chevy Bolt, but from the two it is the BYD I would choose, also because that I read, Great Wall Motors (GMW) recently announced that they are pulling out of the European market, so I'm not sure how anyone could rely on continued Software or replacement parts support in the coming years, Aka doing a Fisker.
I fell for the ridiculously cheap Ora lease deals that were around soon after the UK launch (£217 pm £1900 up front) but regretted it within weeks!
The intrusive "safety" systems were not calibrated for english country roads and needed to be disabled every time you set off, the lack of a rear window wiper and the aerodynamics meant that the rear screen was almost completely opaque within minutes of hitting rain and / or muddy roads. The native satnav was hopelessly inaccurate which I could have lived with if the promised apple car play upgrade had ever arrived. I will concede that the interior had a relatively plush feel and was well finished. However, the most disconcerting flaw was the lack of grip in damp conditions if you are joining a dual carriageway or motprway and you hit the "gas" too hard you simply lurch into the traffic and spin the front wheels whilst watching in terror at an impending rear- ending! The final nail in coffin was my insurer flatly refusing to offer renewal as their "underwriting criteria" had changed, other insurers quoted double the renewal price to close to £1000! I eventually bit the bullet and cancelled the lease early and invested in a used Tesla model 3 for half the price of the funky cat and insurance cost of £475 .
I wouldn’t choose either (I have an I-5). I tried a Kona and thought that 200HP through the front wheels was a bit too much. Regen braking choices is important, although likely not changed very often. Practicality, over ‘funkyness’ is more important IMO.
The Dolphin panoramic roof on the Design version is a must..
why? Car is getting hotter inside and only rear passengers have benefit from it. If that would be an bifacial solarpanel on that glass roof then maaaybe if would have a sense.
How much do you trust having access to spare parts in 10 years?
They're Chinese EVs, so won't last a decade, which makes spares irrelevant.
@@Noah_EChinese make the best EVs atm , so your comment may have made sense 20 years ago
It's worth asking that about every car that is on sale today!
@@Noah_E the Ora is basically a BMW mini, GWM build the mini, same EV platform, GWm have been building Mercedes interiors for years.
@@Noah_E Nonsense
Does Rita have one?
So, all of us who were putting off switching to EVs until the Chinese EVs arrived and brought the prices of all brands down, are now learning that was never going to happen in the UK. £34,000 + for small Chinese EVs is a shocker. I'll stick to my Hybrid.
Seems a tad concerning the Ora's bake lights didn't seem to work with the regen braking. They both seem very overpriced compared to the Spring and C3.
Another great video 😀You failed to mention though that the Ora can change colour...🤔
The front of the Ora 03 looks much better.
There has been a clicking sound in most of the recent videos FYI. Something is off with the editing or the sound recording.
It was the dolphin.
@@djyx8 🐬🤣
@@djyx8 Lmao wow I walked right into that one.
@@MikeAK44 🤪
I tried these two but ultimately went with the MG4. The Ora had a lag when I hit the accelerator that bugged me, its an EV! plus its very small boot with a high lip was impractical. The Dolphin is really comfortable front and back but... no regen breaking. There is a lot more hwy driving in Australia so the inefficiency of both of them at high speed is a big downside.
We love our Ora
It's just a shame the real world range isn't really that great compared to some (eg. Kia Niro EV).
I'm sure updates will improve this but I think 300 miles should be a minimum nowadays for a car with this size of battery.
Chinese brands in the UK need to improve their efficiency too as they seem to lag behind Tesla and the South Koreans.
Definitely the Dolphin, out of those two... but for reference, you can get the Boost version with the smaller battery for £25k, so "no sign of it any time yet" isn't quite right Nicky ;-)
Hey guys,
I've noticed on a few of your recent videos you always reference the WLTP range as being more likely achievable in city driving conditions. It would be interesting to see if this is actually the case, as it's not for me?
Now this may be specific to my car alone, but the city range on my car is far worse, I average 3.2-3.5mpkwh, than it gets on a long motorway cruise/country A/B roads at ~63mph (limiter set). On a long drive I'll average between 4.0-4.3mpkwh.
I recently did a round trip of 180 miles and used ~42kWh which equates to ~4.2mpkwh.
BMW iX3 M Sport Pro with 20" alloys for context.
Ora looks cute
What happens if these things go wrong or need a service? Where do you take them? That's a concern for sure.
The dealer usually, like any new car. 6 year warranty on my BYD Dolphin and the dealer is 15 miles away, they sell Smart and Mercedes in the same building.
@@CampGareththey will be bust before 6 years
I'd love either, but not sure about the cars, why 03, it was the funky cat? lol
Thanks for the video. One thing few reviewers forget is to let us know whether the cars are front or rear wheel drive. Also, any electric vehicle, with cables in the extra space under the boot, is a dumb idea. What if your boot is full and you need the cables to charge?
And can you fit a Towbar for the cycle rack etc
3:20 for BYD. Ora, well the blond forgot..
_Finally_ something that's not an awful mummy-pants SUV! I'd take the Dolphin, but I like both.
I would have like to have seen a Smart #1 in the mix...
Drove the Ora very nice but don’t like the price.
Just started watching and bet the BYD wins.
Mmm… you would catch buying the Ora at over £30k that doesn’t come with a rear wiper. How much does that save on the cost of the car/
Ora missed the boat, priced it's self out when it was the funny cat. Re-name and now catch up with a spec that is getting left behind
Dolphin is better and blends in 😁
Why would you get either when the MG4 exists?.....
I bought the BYD because it was smaller and has a heat pump as well as the BYD having better/safer battery tech - this alone was enough for me - the car is compliant and comfortable around town, but the MG4 is certainly more dynamic
On top of that, you can get a pre-reg MG4 for under £20k now.
I don't like the interior of the MG4 - I'd prefer either of these cars over that.
But there's a refresh of the MG4 coming next year, which I think might be a huge improvement.
Apart from being cheapo inside, the MG4 is made and sold by a Chinese state company, so you are giving your cash to the CCP to do what they like with. May or may not be a problem for you. At least BYD and Ora are private companies.
@@simondehaas8784 Yeah, it's not a problem for me. Not even slightly.
It probably helps that I know what a State-owned enterprise is and how it relates to the party. And that I know a lot about China more broadly.
I’d much rather have a Smart #1 over the two of these!
The Ora's best feature was being called the Funky Cat, and they ruied that. 😺
It is somewhat hard to get excited about either of these cars when there is an MG4 shaped elephant in the room. In Australia at least, MG4 is out selling the other two around 2 to 1. I think more than anything, the MG4 is more popular as the design choices are less divisive. No flipper door handles, no funny coloured interiors or weird stitching in the seats and door panels, no Kermit the frog headlights, no weird wheels, better specs and a line up with many more options. If I had to choose one over the other of these two, it would be a real struggle even though I don't dislike either. I suppose the issue is that neither car is particularly inspiring and when you throw in the MG4, it's game over.
depends what you are looking for - I ended up with base dolphin over the mg4. was 2k cheaper, free wall charger, heat pump, blade battery and the interior is about 50 times nicer to be in. The mg4 was way quicker though (and rwd) if you want to pretend its anything other than an economy car
34k for a supermini !!! on what planet is that affordable
List price doesn't really come into it unless you are buying cash or HP... As most people buy on PCP or PCH it's the monthlies that count. You can get the Ora on lease for about £230-£250/m with zero deposit over 3 years.
£27k for a VW Polo petrol anyone? Completely mad! Sure, real prices aren’t that high due to discounts and 70% of people buy on PCP/Lease now, but I have no idea why car makers think anyone believes these prices anymore now.
Cheaper than the brands we know? Why would I have either of these over a MG4?
of the 2 the BYD is better, bigger boot and a REAR wiper, missing on so many EV's , but there is so much stiff competition from MG and other manufacturers, plus solid state batteries coming soon, I lease a ORA funky cat and its OK to a point, love the colour, red and the interior, but the MG 4 is superior
We have an early MG zs and are now total coverts. Been super reliable. Bear in mind seat stitching fault is only under warranty for a year ! Looking to upgrade and tempted by the dolphin , battery tech , eco and being able to charge to 100..% all the time withwithout damaging battery and a whopping battery warranty of 125 k. Trouble is dealer network is awfull nearest to us is 2 hr drive from Sussex. The game is really moving on a pace and at last real competition for market forces. Is the Id3 really that bad ? Help! You should do a viewer what car next? Btw have temu shades too 😂😂 rubbish lenses😮
But you’d buy an MG4 over both of these right?
The Dolphin does have heaps of regenerative braking. The driver accesses it using the brake pedal. There are other vehicles manufacturers who have used this type of regenerative braking rather than one pedal driving. It’s seamless regenerative braking and is very safe as the driver has the foot on the brake pedal, in the correct place to use mechanical braking in an emergency. In most instances when coming to a stop in traffic, the mechanical braking is nil or minimal and perfectly safe. The driver is not left wondering whether one pedal braking is going to stop in time. For drivers coming from ICE vehicles or going between ICE and EV, it’s perfectly predictable and uses already established muscle memory and quick response in an emergency.
The adaptive cruise control uses it too.
I would ask that when you do reviews such as this "comparison" like the others, that you touch on the Charging Interface, whether there is any V2* Capabilities and a peculiar one, wheel/tire size.
As for Horsepower and 0-60 times. All of these models have generally more HP & Far more torque than a Comparable ICE Vehicle, additionally the ICE's also don't come close in 0-60 times. (Excluding specialty models and such, just the regular average & normal "family models")
Example: Ford Focus 2022 (EU edition) Ecoboost with 125HP 0-60 in 9.6 Seconds !!!
Bigger motor options meant faster of course.
Ora in Scots means "odd" seems an apt description 😅. Both too expensive why not come pare base models?
Instead of those two cars I'd probably chose an E-208. Some pre reg current model GTs available at £25K
I'm amazed Ora Europe hasn't gone bankrupt yet. I certainly wouldn't trust owning one, especially since their one and only model was mediocre when it appeared 2 years ago and hasn't changed since. Except for the multiple names its gone through. If I were to "own" one at all, it would be through a lease so its somebody else's problem.
Brilliant affordable EVs, but in reality if we're being real these cars are not "small" we can't be letting that slide. There's far more affordable in their domestic markst with even more affordable and "small" choices to choose from, including 60mph heavy quadricyles.
BYD is good but what if China becomes enemy one day, where will I go for maintenance ?
Those older USB ports could be for small appliances.
while our hosts have appeal, those have to be the TVs with the least appeal in the UK! ;-)
Leap Motors T03 i wounder about the price because i think the both in the video are to expensive for the size then MG4 are a better pick atleast in Sweden
Considering China tech… why do they both charge as such a shit rate?
I choose Citroen E-C3
I'll be getting an MG4 as it's less funcky
😆 cheers ladies
Why would you get either when the MG4 exists?
13:00 So getting some tiny USB A to USB C adapters, like a 3 pack for 4 quid is too much hassle? (Like the Blukar ones)
when you are spending that much money, and they throw in "vegan leather" you would have thought they could afford the $2 licence to put a USB C port in.
No USB C means no USB PD. My BYD Dolphin has 4 USB C ports total with 2 of them outputting 60W, enough for laptops. That's surprisingly handy.
@@rjc0234 Well, Vegan letter, a.k.a. pleather, or PU-leather, is more standard than fabric these days. It's just a polyurethane layer on a fabric backing, so not an expensive product. And when you sell a product in the budget section of the market, you take into account the buyer. Those are not the ones that upgrade often, so they are more likely on USB A still. I'll get that installing USB-C would not have been expensive and it would have been future proofing the owner experience. It's just a thing one should not moan about, when you can get a tiny adapter for a quid.
@@CampGareth There is no guarantee that a USB-C would have been PD too.
@@TheJAMFI hate pleather. It's not good for the environment seeing as it's made with fossil fuels so that argument is bollocks and it NEVER feels or smells like real leather. Give me a nice fabric over pleather any day. I've just bought a £53K Toyota bZ4X and even that at that price doesn't have real leather 😭
Please test the Kia ev3
Get an insurance quote before even considering these two - Chinese manufacturers are establishing a terrible relationship for after-sales support, so making settling insurance claims hugely expensive
I really like the looks and fitout of the Ora, but enjoyed driving the MG4 more. I'm yet to drive a Dolphin, but their blade batteries are a big plus (and shut down common "but what about" comments). Pity they look so incredibly bland from the outside. 🤷
Both decent EVs… though I insist on one-pedal driving, so I'd take the Ora. Sorry, Nicola. Yet we won't see either or them here on this side of the pond, so it's a moot question… grumble, grumble.
Thanks for this!👍 Like you to together, unique on youtube 🙏 more of this. Dolfin for me...or Citroen e-C3
actually scratch that - a 429bhp, nicer looking, slightly bigger MG4 X power for £29,995 on auto trader right now brand new
Yep, but you can say that about pretty icy any EV apart from Tesla now - they all have big discounts. Base MG4’s now £20k pre-reg.
Ref the usb there’s a really cheap adapter to change it to type c , + during the last few minutes young Nicki has a nice floral jacket on for a milli second , sat in the back of the BYD ooh urr 😂😂😂 ref the seal it has an extra safety feature over the Ora , if it gets into trouble, it omits a nice squeaky noise , and all its mates come round to help it out 🤪🤪🤪🤣🤣
Interested in both cars but the presenters made watching over halfway unbearable.
Evening ladies
Viendo un video más de mi estimada Nicola...
Ora stying is too retro, GWM needs a modern style car to seriously compete.
'I would like to use my hand, not just a finger'..........
MG4 every time over these, dolphin better out of the 2 tho. cant stand the back design of the funky cat
Hello Ladies❤
I do like Rita 🎉
Disappointed that you didn’t mention ride comfort. For people my age it matters a lot and the Dolphin wins hands down.
Part of that is the stock tyres which are quite cheap. I swapped to Michelin Crossclimate 2s and the ride is a bit firmer but a lot safer in adverse conditions.
The reality is, there are much cheaper and better cars from our known brands. Like the Volkswagen id.3, the Opel/Vauxhall corsa or the Citreön e-c3. They are often cheaper, charge quicker, have sometimes more range, have a service network and have much better driving comfort in case of cabin noise and road damping. So i wouldn't take any of them at this price... Take 10000€ of and they start to look okay, but not more
Kia EV3 makes these look rather expensive tbh.
The EV3 is better in every respect.
@@sbomorse it has smaller, 'dirtier' NMC battery. No real range tests so far.
So Nikki likes a 1950's Eastern Bloc colour scheme in her interiors, boring, unlike others who like a more interesting interior. The screen some people do like the screen in portrait vs landscape remember the Model S has a huge portrait screen as well. The replacement for the Dolphin think it's called the Seal X is coming. The Ora a teenager cannot afford either. Either car is fine for a city car and some people will drive it further(long distance).